Is it possible to go to the bathhouse on the Holy Resurrection of Christ?
Almost every church holiday is accompanied by prohibitions. Believers are sure that it is forbidden to go to the Bathhouse on Easter, as this is considered a sinful act. For this reason, many Christians try to follow the rules of the church so that they are not overtaken by the Lord's punishment. But is it?
Some priests believe that there is no need to go to the bathhouse on Easter, others, on the contrary, say there is nothing wrong with it. That is, from one point of view, it is believed that Bright Day should be dedicated to God: visit church in the morning, attend the service, then confess and take communion. This day is spent with family, rooms are blessed, and Easter cakes are shared with relatives.
Based on another point of view, you can swim on Easter if this act does not cause harm. But before going to the bathhouse, it’s still worth visiting the church.
Whether it is possible to take a bath on Easter is everyone’s business. Now believers decide for themselves whether to visit the bath complex or stay at home with their family. But in ancient times, Christians clearly adhered to the fact that they did not go to the bathhouse on this Bright Day. There were more important things to do at Easter, so we tried to swim the day before - on Maundy Thursday. Among other things, according to church customs, any physical labor is prohibited on this day.
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How to celebrate St. Nicholas of the Summer
Our ancestors began the morning by washing themselves with morning dew. They believed that this would help maintain health and youth for many years. After that they put on new outfits.
On the day of St. Nicholas the Summer, they always went to church. The parishioners sincerely asked Nicholas the Pleasant for the fulfillment of their innermost desires. We prayed for health for ourselves and our family, marriage, prosperity, and help in our endeavors.
Unmarried girls can ask Nikolai Ugodnik to send a successful chosen one. They pray for a successful marriage and healthy children. On Nikola's day you can plan wedding celebrations. The children were spoiled and given small gifts.
Believers helped the disadvantaged and the poor. They fed them, gave them clothes and necessary things.
Is it possible to go to the bathhouse before Easter?
By Saturday, on the eve of the holiday of the Holy Resurrection of Christ, all preparations in the houses were completed: Easter cakes were baked, eggs were painted. But the question of whether it is possible to go to the bathhouse on Easter remains open. On the day of the celebration itself, the church does not welcome any extraneous affairs that are not dedicated to the deity, but on the eve of Easter there are no prohibitions on visiting the bathhouse; the main thing is to do it before the start of the service.
It is advisable to go to the bathhouse on Maundy Thursday. This will help the believer to cleanse himself both physically and mentally. By taking a swim on this day, you can get rid of illnesses and envious people.
To get rid of negativity, you need to follow the instructions (how to wash in a bathhouse):
- They are usually washed in an aluminum or silver vat. It is these metals that can take away all the negativity that has accumulated on a person.
- After the bath, upon coming home, each family member should take a handful of salt and pour it into a ceramic container. Place it on the windowsill and store it all year round.
- After washing, water is poured as far as possible from the house.
Attention!
Even the water that flows from the tap in houses acquires divine power on Maundy Thursday. To enhance the effect, add holy water to the bath when bathing.
Nikolin Day 2021 - what you can and cannot do on May 22
St. Nicholas of Summer is a day on the national calendar falling on May 22, when the Orthodox Church celebrates the transfer of the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.
In 2021, May 22 falls on a Saturday.
St. Nicholas Day is one of the most revered holidays by the Christian Church. The celebration is timed to coincide with the day of transferring the relics of St. Nicholas to the city of Bari, located in Italy. In Orthodoxy, Nicholas the Wonderworker is considered the patron saint of children, couples, soldiers, merchants, and merchants. In addition, the Saint is also a defender of people who have undeservedly suffered punishment.
Every year this holiday is celebrated on one day - May 22 according to the new style (May 9 according to the Julian calendar). The name "Nikola Letniy" is the most common. However, the celebration also has many other names: St. Nicholas, St. Nicholas the Spring, St. Nicholas, Summer Day, St. Nicholas, St. Nicholas with Warmth, Grass Day, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Warm Day.
Nicholas the Wonderworker is the intercessor of all the persecuted and offended, the helper of the poor, as well as the patron of sailors and the protector of the family hearth. It is known that the saint more than once came to the aid of those in distress on the water, calming storms with the power of prayer.
As for family happiness, a whole story from the life of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker is connected with it. One bankrupt city dweller decided to improve his affairs by giving his daughter to a rich groom. But, as usual, the rich man’s relatives were against the unequal marriage. Having learned about this, Saint Nicholas helped arrange the girl: he secretly threw a purse of gold out the window and provided the bride with a good dowry.
Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker occupied a special place in the life of the Orthodox, so many customs and rituals are associated with the holiday in his honor. What, according to traditions, needs to be done on this day?
Traditions on the holiday of St. Nicholas of the Summer 2021
To avoid misfortunes throughout the year, on May 22, ritual dinners are held in honor of the Wonderworker: it is imperative to feed the poor, crippled, and vagabonds. Only after this is a big dinner “organized” for the family.
Since Nicholas the Wonderworker is the patron and protector of couples in love, young girls at the dawn of May 22 prayed to the Saint that he would grant them a meeting with their soulmate. The unmarried girls asked Nikolai to send them a good husband, generous, handsome, hard-working, brave, kind.
Saint Nicholas is also the patron of animals, including sheep and horses. By St. Nicholas Day, the fresh grass in the fields had already grown sufficiently. Therefore, on the night of May 22, all owners of horses and sheep drove their cattle into the fields. The animals frolicked all night, ran, and nibbled grass. To prevent horses and sheep from running away, shepherds - young and physically strong men - were assigned to them.
In the evening, before the start of herding the animals, a special dinner was prepared for the shepherds, consisting of porridge and pies. Then fires were lit around the perimeter of the large field. Few of the villagers went to bed early, because everyone wanted to watch the animals being pastured. Parents allowed even small children to walk until midnight on this day. A little later, when the villagers went to their huts, the shepherds were joined by girls - unmarried residents of the village. Then the real party began with dancing, songs and fun games. It was believed that on this night young men and women entered adulthood, so older relatives did not particularly control the “ardent young hearts.”
In order for the harvest to be rich and the land to be fertile, at dawn people went out into the fields and vegetable gardens, stood facing the rising sun and performed a special ritual. They read prayers addressed to Nicholas the Wonderworker, asking him to protect their lands, for generous gifts, for a well-fed existence.
St. Nicholas Day is an important date in the agricultural calendar (the saint is a kind of “heir” of the pagan god Veles, the patron saint of agriculture and domestic animals). Therefore, this day is the most favorable for sowing spring crops: it is believed that there will be no more frosts harmful to the crops, and the harvest will go uphill. Also, it is on May 22 that you can already plant cucumbers. Interesting to know. If it rains on Nikola, the harvest will be rich and will delight all owners.
It is believed that dew, as well as water from springs and wells, acquires life-giving power and if you wash or drink it, you will not get sick all year.
To increase your well-being, on St. Nicholas's Day you need to bring a candle home from church, take out the wick, light it on both sides, quickly say the spell words and put out the wick.
The fire is eternal, and my spirit is marked with gold, silver and all good things. Amen.
The wick should be placed in your wallet or wherever you keep your money.
How to behave correctly and what to do on the holiday of St. Nicholas of Summer?
In order for happiness to smile throughout the year, May 22, 2021 must be spent in prayer and caring for family, home, and livestock. It is desirable that all household members, young and old, be busy with useful things.
In the morning and evening, it is advisable to pray to Nicholas the Vereshny and the Lord. You can ask God and the Saint for everything you need. If your prayers are sincere and you truly deserve what you ask for, you will definitely be rewarded.
On this day you need to start sowing some crops. As a rule, buckwheat and potatoes were planted. It was believed that after St. Nicholas Day there was no point in planting them. Firstly, there will be no decent harvest, and secondly, the crops will not have time to harvest.
In the morning, after going to church and praying, it is advisable to go to the bathhouse, take a good bath and change into clean or even new underwear. Outerwear should also be washed and ironed. While bathing, you can read a prayer.
From the very morning, housewives began general cleaning of the house, garden area, and non-residential outbuildings where livestock were kept. The animals were intensively fed with various delicacies. Artiodactyls and ruminants were grazed, and other pets were walked.
Unmarried girls and unmarried boys changed into beautiful outfits after the bath. The guys wore shirts embroidered with gold, wide light-colored linen trousers, and tied with satin belts. The girls dressed up in long sundresses, and tied multi-colored scarves on their heads or wore wreaths with ribbons.
After work in the field and entertainment, all family members had to gather at the table to enjoy a festive dinner. There are no special recommendations regarding the dishes placed on the table. We ate everything that God sent. Usually it was unpretentious food: milk, pancakes, chicken eggs, cheese, porridge, boiled potatoes, lard and all kinds of dishes prepared from the listed products.
What not to do on Nikola Letniy?
On May 22, 2021, it was wrong to be sad, indulge in memories of past negative events, or be lazy. The only thing you should give up regarding housework is knitting and sewing.
It is undesirable to use scissors and other sharp objects (kitchen utensils and garden tools do not count).
It was believed that if a person refuses to help someone who turned to him, he and his family will experience need and fail for 7 years in a row. Remember, helping the poor, orphans and everyone who asks is one of the rules of life that St. Nicholas always adhered to during his life.
It is not advisable to deny anything (within reason, of course) to children. Nikolai Ugodnik is their patron, so all the children need to be given gifts. It is not necessary to buy something expensive, let it be simple gifts, for example, souvenirs, toys or their favorite treats. Traditionally, gifts were always placed under children’s pillows or hidden in socks, which were then hung on a rope over the stove (fireplace).
It is inappropriate to indulge in riotous revelry. Dancing until you drop, heavy alcohol intoxication and loud chants are unacceptable. Also, clarification of personal relationships, much less quarrels, scandals, and fights, is not encouraged. Swearing on May 22 means inviting failure.
Nikola Summer is a holiday that is loved by many, especially children. This is a celebration dedicated to the end of spring and the beginning of the summer season. It is important to spend this holiday correctly, so that St. Nicholas fulfills all your wishes and becomes a patron and reliable protector for you and your family!
Is it possible to visit the bathhouse during Easter week?
The first week after Easter is called Easter week. These days, although they are a continuation of the celebration of the Holy Resurrection of Christ, remain ordinary days on which you can do whatever you want. During Easter week there are no prohibitions on bathing and cleaning, the main thing is that it does not conflict with the divine service.
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The attitude of the church towards visiting the bathhouse
Since ancient times, the bathhouse was a place for receiving hygienic procedures - akin to a modern shower, so the possibility of visiting it is not rejected by the church as such, because a person must take care of himself and be neat, but the bathhouse has always been the only village building that was not illuminated.
This fact alone indicates a special attitude towards the bathhouse, which was not as favorable as it might seem. However, people always visited the baths to wash themselves, but only on the eve of church holidays. Usually these days were called bath days, they fell on the day followed by a holiday, or a few days before major religious events.
For example, Maundy Thursday is widely known, when ablution is carried out even before sunrise - two days before one of the biggest Christian holidays in honor of the resurrection of Christ - Easter.
Is it possible to take a bath on Good Friday?
Many believers believe that taking a bath on Easter is a great sin. In fact, an Orthodox holiday is a day when a person devotes himself to God. But now things have changed a little, and most people think that there is nothing wrong with taking a quick shower or washing your baby.
The clergyman answers the parishioners as follows:
- All housework must be done at another time, and on Bright Day it is important to think about the deity and surrender to the sacrament with all your soul.
- It is better to do the cleaning one day before and wash in the evening.
Despite this, it is still not prohibited to take a bath on Sunday. But this must be done after visiting church, reading a prayer, sitting at the festive table with the whole family.
As for Good Friday, on this day you need to postpone all things. Prayers should come first. On this day Christ was crucified, so he was called “passionate.” On Friday you need to pray all day and remember the son of God, because he sacrificed himself for the sake of people. And for swimming it is better to set aside another time - for example, Maundy Thursday.
What can you do on December 4
You can visit guests or invite relatives to your home, but the treat must be Lenten.
On the twelfth holiday it is allowed to eat fish, despite the fact that it falls on the Nativity Fast. It is believed that treating fish dishes will bring peace to the house. Lenten baking is also allowed - this will bring prosperity to the family.
Girls should wear their best clothes, and young people should organize games and competitions in the fresh air.
You can appease the brownie by tidying up your closet or pantry.
Is it possible to bathe children on Easter?
If adults still somehow adhere to the rules aimed at swimming on major Orthodox holidays, then you cannot explain to a small child that you cannot get dirty on these days. Of course, you shouldn’t put off bathing your child until the next day.
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As for the bathhouse, if you decide to visit the bathhouse complex with your whole family on Easter Day, then the clergy allow such manipulations, but only after visiting the church. Still, worship comes first, and only then all worldly concerns.
Why you can’t wash on church holidays
According to any religion, not only Christian, religious holidays are intended for people to devote themselves to prayer and communication with God at this time. It is recommended to start these days with prayer, and then you need to go to church for confession, communion or other rituals that Orthodox people should perform on certain holidays.
It is believed that before performing all these actions, a person should not engage in other activities, including bathing. Only after completing them can he get down to current affairs, for example, doing housework or taking a swim.
If earlier such actions as housework or gardening on church holidays were condemned by the church, this was due to the fact that in those days when Rus' only recently adopted Christianity, people often devoted holidays to household chores rather than to communication with God blessing. They simply did not understand why they needed to spend a free day going to church and performing some rituals that were often incomprehensible to them, if during this time they could redo all the work that had accumulated in the house and in the garden over the week.
It was for this reason that the priests did not approve of housework and bathing on holidays: because people did them not after going to church, performing church rituals and studying the Bible, but instead of all this.
Over time, when Orthodoxy became the national religion in Rus' and Christians began to regularly go to church on holidays, there was no longer any need for prohibitions on housework and swimming on holidays and Sundays. But people remembered for a long time that the church supposedly does not approve of washing on holidays, and this prejudice has persisted to this day.
There is currently no church ban on swimming on holidays.
However, believers must understand that these days are intended specifically for performing religious rituals, and only after them can they begin worldly affairs.
Bathhouse in modern conditions
Modern baths and saunas are very different from those that existed in Rus' before the beginning of modern history, and therefore the attitude that is formed towards them in society turns out to be completely different.
Today, visiting a bathhouse is not only hygienic procedures or an opportunity to have a good rest, but also often medical procedures, an opportunity to get rid of extra pounds or tone up your body.
That is why in modern conditions it is not always advisable to consider the attitude of the church to visiting the bathhouse, since it was formed centuries ago, and today the situation has changed significantly.
When can you take a bath before and after Easter?
There is no strict ban on washing on church holidays. But a person who decides to cleanse himself on Easter Sunday must remember that the main task of every Christian on the feast of the Resurrection of Christ is visiting church and reading prayers. Daily activities can be postponed until another time.
There are days before the holiday when swimming is allowed and even desirable. It is best to do this during Easter week on Maundy Thursday or Friday (the eve of Holy Saturday). You can heat the bathhouse and wash on the last day of Easter, on Monday, or after the holiday (during the entire next week).
You should not go to a bathhouse or sauna to wash before Easter on Red Saturday. On the eve of the holiday, in all churches, clergy conduct all-night services and perform the rite of anointing. You should also not wash your face after it. A person should concentrate not on performing actions, but on clearing his mind of bad thoughts and plans, taking a break from everyday problems and worries, and thinking about saving the soul.
Important! You cannot heat a bathhouse or wash before Easter on Holy Saturday. This day you should fast and attend church prayers.
